Hooked Up - Fishing: What it is and what it is knot

Sunday

Dec 30, 2012 at 2:17 PMDec 30, 2012 at 2:17 PM

The slow time between hunting season and ice fishing season typically leaves me with nothing much to do. I glance at my assortment of outdoor magazines and relive the season's catches in my mind's eye; however, that will rarely substitute for a trip to the woods or water. Once I have cleaned and stored my equipment for the off-season, there is really only one thing that I can do to ease my boredom – I tie knots.

Jim Kilchermann Jr.

The slow time between hunting season and ice fishing season typically leaves me with nothing much to do. I glance at my assortment of outdoor magazines and relive the season's catches in my mind's eye; however, that will rarely substitute for a trip to the woods or water. Once I have cleaned and stored my equipment for the off-season, there is really only one thing that I can do to ease my boredom – I tie knots.

Regardless of what you might think or what you may have been told, the most critical component of any fishing rig is usually the knot. A poorly tied knot can weaken your line by more than half of its rated pound test. This equates to a lost fish or lost tackle when hooked in a snag. With the opportunity to catch a trophy fish a very rare commodity and the price of tackle going ever higher, the poorly tied knot can be a very costly mishap to an otherwise great day on the water.

Now I never was a Boy Scout, and I joined the Army and not the Navy, but I do know how to tie knots. Many different types of knots. I have bought laminated instructional guides to tying different knots and still carry them in my tackle box every time I go to the water. I rarely refer to them anymore as I, like many fishermen, use only a select few specialty knots for any given occasion. I suppose I carry them for that "just in case" moment we fishermen attempt to be prepared for at all times.

What some fishermen are unaware of is that every knot is designed for a specific purpose, whether it be to increase the strength of the line or to improve the action of a specific lure. There are knots that are specific to joining two similar diameter lines together as well as knots whose sole purpose is to successfully join two lines together that are of an unequal diameter.

Some knots are used for monofilament while others are used for braided-nylon type lines. The key to successful knot strength is to become expert at tying your favorite knot. I often sit for hours simply tying knots over and over both in the light and in the dark.

My favorite two knots are the uni-knot and the surgeon's loop. These are very strong knots when tied properly and will work for most any situation – from a simple hook and sinker to spinner bait. I have included an example of how to tie each knot. The Internet provides the fisherman with several examples of knots that can be practiced and used with great success and confidence provided the sportsman takes the time to perfect the knot tying.

Perhaps the most integral part of tying any knot is found in the lubrication of the knot as it is pulled tight. Failing to wet the line with water or saliva prior to pulling it taught will commonly result in heating of the line and a weakening of the knot's strength. This is especially important when using monofilament lines.

While waiting for the ice to form on your favorite fishing hole or simply waiting for warm spring fishing conditions to arrive, remember to practice tying your favorite knot until you can master tying it with your eyes closed or in a dark room. Remember to lubricate the knot properly prior to pulling it tight and remember, it is a great outdoors.

Jim Kilchermann Jr. is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the benefits that a properly tied knot can provide to any fishing excursion. He can be reached at jimkilchermann@yahoo.com to share a tale or two. Until next time, stay out of the snags and keep all of your shots in the 10 ring.

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